Tennessee Tragedies at East Tennessee History Center

The new book Tennessee Tragedies by Allen R. Coggins is the first compilation of historical disasters for any state. The comprehensive work ranges widely from floods, earthquakes, heat waves, and tornadoes to mining accidents, fire, labor strikes, transportation crashes, epidemics, Ku Klux Klan violence, race riots, and everything in-between.

The lecture by Coggins on July 11 will include a historical overview of the subject and a closer look at some of the more compelling stories, as well as our response to human tragedy. Coggins is a former emergency management specialist and is currently a subcontractor with the Environment, Safety, and Health Office of Oak Ridge Associate Universities. Author Coggins recently received an “Award of Research Excellence” from the East Tennessee Historical Society.

The program is sponsored by 21st Mortgage Corp, and is free and open to the public.

The lecture will begin at noon at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville. Guests are invited to bring a “Brown Bag” lunch and enjoy the lecture. Soft drinks will be available. For more information on the lecture, exhibitions, or museum hours, call 865-215-8824 or visit the website at www.EastTNHistory.org.